Angeles
A surname most likely built from the Spanish word for “angels,” often linked to religious naming or place-based origins.
The #2,559 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,853 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Angeles is the Spanish plural of ángel, meaning “angels,” from Latin angelus, “messenger” or “angel.” As a surname, it may have arisen as a devotional or religious name, referring to the angels of Christian tradition. In some cases it may also reflect a place name or a family connection to a locality called Los Ángeles or similar.
History
The surname is well established in Spanish-speaking regions and is especially familiar in the Philippines and the Americas, where Spanish naming traditions spread widely. In modern usage it can function as a hereditary surname rather than a literal reference to a religious title. Because it is also a common place-name element, some bearers may have adopted it from a geographic association rather than directly from the word for angels.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same word family appears in many Spanish surnames and place names, including the famous city name Los Angeles.
From the historical record
“UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. PSD 2343 9/77”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)